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Juggling classes, a social life and academics becomes the daily performance for a student-athlete.

Ashailee Brailey, a senior general studies major, plays as a guard in women’s basketball. She discussed her preparation on the day of home games.

“We’ll have an early morning practice, just an hour on the court and things like that prepping for the game,” said Brailey. “We’ll have a team breakfast, and then they let us go back to our apartments and get ready for the game, and then we’ll come back two hours before to warm up.”

For days with no home games, practice will start with weights followed by an hour film session. Then, the team heads to the court for about three hours. According to Brailey, her most important preparation right before practice or a game is to take a nap.

“I’m the type of person that just needs sleep to function, and it kind of relaxes me,” said Brailey. “I’ll wake up refreshed and just ready to play.”

Brailey utilizes prioritization and efficient use of her time to balance school and basketball. This semester, her classes are online, which allows more flexibility in her schedule.

“With school and stuff, I’ll get my schoolwork done early at the beginning of the week,” said Brailey. “That way, if I do have a game at the end of the week, I don’t have to worry about my schoolwork. My schoolwork’s already been taken care of, and I can just focus on the game or practice.”

Being a student-athlete does not restrict Brailey’s diet.

“I eat a lot of McDonald’s,” said Brailey. “I eat a lot of Sonic. I mean, I don’t feel like my diet affects me. If it did, I would probably take a look at what I ate, but I’m a lover of fast food.”

As pressing as basketball and schoolwork may be, student-athletes may find some downtime. For Brailey, that includes reality TV like “The Real Housewives” and “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” or her favorite social media platform, Snapchat.

“Sometimes, I just catch myself like, ‘You need to stop with the social media for a sec’ because literally I’m on social media all the time,” said Brailey.

Brailey also likes to knit or spend time with her teammates and roommates Tyler Morrison, a junior guard, and Jaclyn Scholvin, a senior guard.

“We just hang out in the living room and try to take our mind off of basketball because it can be a lot at times,” said Brailey. “We just hang out, talk about our days, and then we go back to our rooms and back at it again the next day in the living room talking about our days.”

Though the life of a student-athlete may be demanding at times, Brailey finds the experience rewarding.

“We also have to handle school and outside life and our sport and just trying to balance all of it,” said Brailey. “It’s crazy, but in the end, it’s something that I wouldn’t trade in the world. Being a student-athlete, we’re not only representing ourselves but also our university, and that’s bigger than us.”

I’m so proud of you Ashailee. I’ve coached you for Biddy, and watched you blossom at Vermilion Catholic, and now I’ve witnessed you at the next level. Keep shooting for the stars. Sky is the limit.

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